didn't include california. because california, as you know, was already a state. question was so critical because it had to do with the future of slavery, and the future of southern power in the nation. own by the entire nation inspect 1857, the dread scott decision. the united states supreme court affirmed the southern constitutional view. republicans in contrast csh no matter the supreme court republicans would allow slaves in any territory. lincoln was elected in november of 1860, a month later the united states congress came in to session, members of congress put forth various comprises, a critical portion of all in some deal with the division of the territory. most often there was a proposal to extend some kind of dividing line west ward beyond the louisiana purchase all the way to the border of california. i'm going get to my main topic. why lincoln rejected all meaningful comprise, which meant the territories. i'm going talk about three different men tonight. one of you, one of them, all of you know his name. abraham lincoln was who was he was and what he d